
Darma Ruth Smith, 90, rural Wabash, died at 4:05 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017 at her home. She was born Sept. 16, 1926 in Akron, Ohio to Clarence Sr. and Verna (Hites) Jones.
Darma was a 1944 graduate of Kenmore High School, Akron, Ohio. She married Jack Thomas Smith Sr. in Wabash on March 21, 1948; he died Dec. 19, 1982. She retired from Wabash Magnetics after several years and was a member of the Treaty Church of Christ, where she taught Sunday School several years. Darma enjoyed sewing, crocheting, baking, cooking, and spending time with her family.
She is survived by seven children: Debbie (James) Bartoo of Urbana; Kathy Smith, Jackie (Richard) Gardner, and Jill (William) Schmalzried, all of Wabash; Holly Rose of Roann, Jack T. (Cathy) Smith, Jr., and Darma M. Smith, both of Wabash; her brother, Clarence (Virginia) Jones, Jr. of Wabash; and her sister, Helen Kessler of Missouri; 13 grandchildren: Shawn (Karen) Gardner and Brian (Emily) Gardner, both of Wabash; Tiffany (Jim) Craig of Warren; Wendy (Jim) Sheridan of Wabash; Stephanie (Aaron) Reust of Huntington; Kelly (Mike) Kerr of North Manchester; Alan (Cierria) Schmalzried of Indianapolis; Karrie Rose of Roann; Elizabeth Schmalzried of Fort Wayne; Kristy (Greg) Benzinger and Gina Smith, both of Wabash; Lisa Schmalzried of Santa Monica, Calif.; and Jacob Smith of Fort Wayne, and 24 great grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her parents, son, David Wayne Smith, grandson Troy Bartoo, and son-in-law Tom Rose.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, 1241 Manchester Avenue, Wabash, with Ryan Weaver officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Lawns Cemetery, Wabash. Friends may call 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, at the funeral home.
